A virtual press conference for Masters of the Universe was held the week of May 18 with Nicholas Galitzine (He-Man), Camila Mendes (Teela), Alison Brie (Evil-Lyn), Idris Elba (Man-At-Arms), Morena Baccarin (Sorciere), director Travis Knight, producers Jason Blumenthal and Todd Black, and Mattel Studios president Robbie Brenner. Kevin McCarthy moderated. A recap was published by Skewed ‘n Reviewed on May 24.
The headline detail from the recap is the practical-effects posture of the production. Castle Grayskull’s steps are real and reportedly treacherous in places, the room that houses the Sword of Power is a built set rather than a green-screen volume, Skeletor’s costume is a real costume worn on the day (not EVA foam, motion-capture dots, or a blank suit for later digital generation), and the fight scenes are described as practical rather than CGI. Goatman’s makeup is said to have taken eight hours in the chair to apply.
Knight described the project as an 18-year journey from initial concept to final cuts and confirmed he made his own He-Man short as a child. Producers framed their role as “stewards and guardians of the fandom” and likened the premiere atmosphere at the TCL Chinese Theatre, which was dressed as a life-size Castle Grayskull, to “walking into Star Wars for the first time as a kid.”
A handful of in-character notes from the recap. Idris Elba: “The mustache. When I put that on I was able to transform and feel more like Man-At-Arms.” Nicholas Galitzine on the Power incantation: “When transforming into He-Man I made him larger than life. The incantation was very powerful and with that the realization that the right to say the incantation was earned.” Galitzine added that he shouted the line for real and avoided rehearsing it so it would not sound scripted, and that he rewatched the original animated series to match how He-Man held the sword. Camila Mendes credited her own close relationship with her father for the Teela / Duncan dynamic on screen.
Robbie Brenner spoke to the toy line as the starting point: each new figure had to preserve the integrity of the original to “charm OG fans” while widening the doorway for a new generation. Runtime in the recap is cited at two hours and twelve minutes.
Masters of the Universe opens June 5 in the United States via Amazon MGM Studios. Early access screenings, including ScreenX and Dolby Cinema sessions, begin Wednesday, June 3. The review embargo lifts June 2 at 6:00 AM PT (9:00 AM ET).
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